Materially, its prosperity was low. The day of the Galactic Empire haddeparted, with nothing but silent memorials and broken structures totestify to it. The day of the Foundation had not yet come ? and in thefierce determination of its ruler, the Commdor Asper Argo, with his strictregulation of the traders and his stricter prohibition3 of the missionaries4,it was never coming.
The spaceport itself was decrepit5 and decayed, and the crew of the Far Starwere drearily aware of that. The moldering hangars made for a molderingatmosphere and Jaim Twer itched6 and fretted7 over a game of solitaire.
Hober Mallow said thoughtfully, "Good trading material here." He wasstaring quietly out the viewport. So far, there was little else to be saidabout Korell. The trip here was uneventful. The squadron of Korellian shipsthat had shot out to intercept8 the Far Star had been tiny, limping relicsof ancient glory or battered9, clumsy hulks. They had maintained theirdistance fearfully, and still maintained it, and for a week now, Mallow'srequests for an audience with the local go government had been unanswered.
Mallow repeated, "Good trading here. You might call this virgin10 territory."Jaim Twer looked up impatiently, and threw his cards aside, "What the devildo you intend doing, Mallow? The crew's grumbling, the officers areworried, and I抦 wondering?
"Wondering? About what?""About the situation. And about you. What are we doing?""Waiting."The old trader snorted and grew red. He growled11, "You're going it blind,Mallow. There's a guard around the field and there are ships overhead.
Suppose they're getting ready to blow us into a hole in the ground.""They've had a week.""Maybe they're waiting for reinforcements." Twer's eyes were sharp andhard.
Mallow sat down abruptly, "Yes, I'd thought of that You see, it poses apretty problem. First, we got here without trouble. That may mean nothing,however, for only three ships out of better than three hundred wenta-glimmer last year. The percentage is low. But that may mean also that thenumber of their ships equipped with nuclear power is small, and that theydare not expose them needlessly, until that number grows.
"But it could mean, on the other hand, that they haven't nuclear powerafter all. Or maybe they have and are keeping undercover, for fear we knowsomething. It's one thing, after all, to piratize blundering, light-armedmerchant ships. It's another to fool around with an accredited12 envoy13 of theFoundation when the mere14 fact of his presence may mean the Foundation isgrowing suspicious.
"Combine this?
"Hold on, Mallow, hold on." Twer raised his hands. "You're just aboutdrowning me with talk. What're you getting at? Never mind the in-betweens.""You've got to have the in-betweens, or you won't understand, Twer. We'reboth waiting. They don't know what I'm doing here and I don't know whatthey've got here. But I'm in the weaker position because I'm one andthey're an entire world ?maybe with atomic power. I can't afford to be theone to weaken. Sure it's dangerous. Sure there may be a hole in the groundwaiting for us. But we knew that from the start. What else is there to do?""I don't?Who's that, now?"Mallow looked up patiently, and tuned15 the receiver. The visiplate glowedinto the craggy face of the watch sergeant16.
"Speak, sergeant."The sergeant said, "Pardon, sir. The men have given entry to a Foundationmissionary.""A what?" Mallow's face grew livid.
"A missionary17, sit. He's in need of hospitalization, sir-""There'll be more than one in need of that, sergeant, for this piece ofwork. Order the men to battle stations."Crew's lounge was almost empty. Five minutes after the order, even the menon the off-shift were at their guns. It was speed that was the great virtuein the anarchic regions of the interstellar space of the Periphery18, and itwas in speed above all that the crew of a master trader excelled.
Mallow entered slowly, and stared the missionary up and down and around.
His eye slid to Lieutenant19 Tinter20, who shifted uneasily to one side and toWatch-Sergeant Demen, whose blank face and stolid21 figure flanked the other.
The Master Trader turned to Twer and paused thoughtfully, "Well, then,Twer, get the officers here quietly, except for the co-ordinators and thetrajectorian. The men are to remain at stations till further orders."There was a five-minute hiatus, in which Mallow kicked open the doors tothe lavatories22, looked behind the bar, pulled the draperies across thethick windows. For half a minute he left the room altogether, and when hereturned he was humming abstractedly.
Men filed in. Twer followed, and closed the door silently.
Mallow said quietly, "First, who let this man in without orders from me?"The watch sergeant stepped forward. Every eye shifted. "Pardon, sir. It wasno definite person. It was a sort of mutual23 agreement. He was one of us,you might say, and these foreigners here?
Mallow cut him short, "I sympathize with your feelings, sergeant, andunderstand them. These men, were they under your command?""Yes, sir.""When this is over, they're to be confined to individual quarters for aweek. You yourself are relieved of all supervisory duties for a similarperiod. Understood?"The sergeant's face never changed, but there was the slightest droop24 to hisshoulders. He said, crisply, "Yes, sir.""You may leave. Get to your gun-station."The door closed behind him and the babble26 rose.
Twer broke in, "Why the punishment, Mallow? You know that these Korellianskill captured missionaries.""An action against my orders is bad in itself whatever other reasons theremay be in its favor. No one was to leave or enter the ship withoutpermission."Lieutenant Tinter murmured rebelliously, "Seven days without action. Youcan't maintain discipline that way."Mallow said icily, "I can. There's no merit in discipline under idealcircumstances. I'll have it in the face of death, or it's useless. Where'sthis missionary? Get him here in front of me."The trader sat down, while the scarlet-cloaked figure was carefully broughtforward.
"What's your name, reverend?""Eh?" The scarlet-robed figure wheeled towards Mallow, the whole bodyturning as a unit. His eyes were blankly open and there was a bruise27 on onetemple. He had not spoken, nor, as far as Mallow could tell, moved duringall the previous interval28.
"Your name, revered29 one?"The missionary started to sudden feverish30 life. His arms went out in anembracing gesture. "My son ? my children. May you always be in theprotecting arms of the Galactic Spirit."Twer stepped forward, eyes troubled, voice husky, "The man's sick. Take himto bed, somebody. Order him to bed, Mallow, and have him seen to. He'sbadly hurt."Mallow's great arm shoved him back, "Don't interfere31, Twer, or I'll haveyou out of the room. Your name, revered one?"The missionary's hands clasped in sudden supplication, "As you areenlightened men, save me from the heathen." The words tumbled out, "Save mefrom these brutes32 and darkened ones who raven33 after me and would afflictthe Galactic Spirit with their crimes. I am Jord Parma, of the Anacreonianworlds. Educated at the Foundation; the Foundation itself, my children. Iam a Priest of the Spirit educated into all the mysteries, who have comehere where the inner voice called me." He was gasping34. "I have suffered atthe hands of the unenlightened. As you are Children of the Spirit; and inthe name of that Spirit, protect me from them."A voice broke in upon them, as the emergency alarm box clamoredmetallically:
"Enemy units in sight! Instruction desired!"Every eye shot mechanically upward to the speaker.
Mallow swore violently. He clicked open the reverse and yelled, "Maintainvigil! That is all!" and turned it off.
He made his way to the thick drapes that rustled aside at a touch andstared grimly out,Enemy units! Several thousands of them in the persons of the individualmembers of a Korellian mob. The rolling rabble35 encompassed the port fromextreme end to extreme end, and in the cold, hard light of magnesium36 flaresthe foremost straggled closer.
"Tinter!" The trader never turned, but the back of his neck was red. "Getthe outer speaker working and find out what they want. Ask if they have arepresentative of the law with them. Make no promises and no threats, orI'll kill you."Tinter turned and left.
Mallow felt a rough hand on his shoulder and he struck it aside. It wasTwer. His voice was an angry hiss25 in his ear, "Mallow, you're bound to holdonto this man. There's no way of maintaining decency37 and honor otherwise.
He's of the Foundation and, after all, he ? is a priest. These savagesoutside?Do you hear me?""I hear you, Twer." Mallow's voice was incisive38. "I've got more to do herethan guard missionaries. I'll do, sir, what I please, and, by Seldon andall the Galaxy39, if you try to stop me, I'll tear out your stinkingwindpipe. Don't get in my way, Twer, or it will be the last of you."He turned and strode past. "You! Revered Parma! Did you know that, byconvention, no Foundation missionaries may enter the Korellian territory?"The missionary was trembling, "I can but go where the Spirit leads, my son.
If the darkened ones refuse enlightenment, is it not the greater sign oftheir need for it?""That's outside the question, revered one. You are here against the law ofboth Korell and the Foundation. I cannot in law protect you."The missionary's hands were raised again. His earlier bewilderment wasgone. There was the raucous40 clamor of the ship's outer communication systemin action, and the faint, undulating gabble of the angry horde41 in response.
The sound made his eyes wild.
"You hear them? Why do you talk of law to me, of a law made by men? Thereare higher laws. Was it not the Galactic Spirit that said: Thou shalt notstand idly by to the hurl of thy fellowman. And has he not said: Even asthou dealest with the humble and defenseless, thus shalt thou be dealtwith.
"Have you not guns? Have you not a ship? And behind you is there not theFoundation? And above and all-about you is there not the Spirit that rulesthe universe?" He paused for breath.
And then the great outer voice of the Far Star ceased and Lieutenant Tinterwas back, troubled.
"Speak!" said Mallow, shortly.
"Sir, they demand the person of Jord Parma.""If not?""There are various threats, sir. It is difficult to make much out. Thereare so many ?and they seem quite mad. There is someone who says he governsthe district and has police powers, but he is quite evidently not his ownmaster.""Master or not," shrugged43 Mallow, "he is the law. Tell them that if thisgovernor, or policeman, or whatever he is, approaches the ship alone, hecan have the Revered Jord Parma."And there was suddenly a gun in his hand. He added, "I don't know whatinsubordination is. I have never had any experience with it. But if there'sanyone here who thinks he can teach me, I'd like to teach him my antidotein return.''
The gun swiveled slowly, and rested on Twer. With an effort, the oldtrader's face untwisted and his hands unclenched and lowered. His breathwas a harsh rasp in his nostrils44.
Tinter left, and in five minutes a puny45 figure detached itself from thecrowd. It approached slowly and hesitantly, plainly drenched in fear andapprehension. Twice it turned back, and twice the patently obvious threatsof the many-headed monster urged him on.
"All right," Mallow gestured with the hand-blaster, which remainedunsheathed. "Grun and Upshur, take him out."The missionary screeched46. He raised his arms and rigid fingers spearedupward as the voluminous sleeves fell away to reveal the thin, veined arms.
There was a momentary, tiny flash of light that came and went in a breath.
Mallow blinked and gestured again, contemptuously.
The missionary's voice poured out as he struggled in the two-fold grasp,"Cursed be the traitor who abandons his fellowman to evil and to death.
Deafened47 be the ears that are deaf to the pleadings of the helpless. Blindbe the eyes that are blind to innocence48. Blackened forever be the soul thatconsorts with blackness?
Twer clamped his hands tightly over his ears.
Mallow flipped his blaster and put it away. "Disperse," he said, evenly,"to respective stations. Maintain full vigil for six hours after dispersionof crowd. Double stations for forty-eight hours thereafter. Furtherinstructions at that time. Twer, come with me."They were alone in Mallow's private quarters. Mallow indicated a chair andTwer sat down. His stocky figure looked shrunken.
Mallow stared him down, sardonically49. "Twer," he said, "I'm disappointed.
Your three years in politics seem to have gotten you out of trader habits.
Remember, I may be a democrat50 back at the Foundation, but there's nothingshort of tyranny that can run my ship the way I want it run. I never had topull a blaster on my men before, and I wouldn't have had to now, if youhadn't gone out of line.
"Twer, you have no official position, but you're here on my invitation, andI'll extend you every courtesy ?in private. However, from now on, in thepresence of my officers or men, I'm 'sir,' and not 'Mallow.' And when Igive an order, you'll jump faster than a third-class recruit just for luck,or I'll have you handcuffed in the sub-level even faster. Understand?"The party-leader swallowed dryly. He said, reluctantly, "My apologies.""Accepted! Will you shake?"Twer's limp fingers were swallowed in Mallow's huge palm. Twer said, "Mymotives were good. It's difficult to send a man out to be lynched. Thatwobbly-kneed governor or whatever-he-was can't save him. It's murder.""I can't help that. Frankly51, the incident smelled too bad. Didn't younotice?""Notice what?""This spaceport is deep in the middle of a sleepy far section. Suddenly amissionary escapes. Where from? He comes here. Coincidence? A huge crowdgathers. From where? The nearest city of any size must be at least ahundred miles away. But they arrive in half an hour. How?""How?" echoed Twer.
"Well, what if the missionary were brought here and released as bait. Ourfriend, Revered Parma, was considerably52 confused. He seemed at no time tobe in complete possession of his wits.""Hard usage? murmured Twer bitterly.
"Maybe! And maybe the idea was to have us go all chivalrous53 and gallant,into a stupid defense42 of the man. He was here against the laws of Korelland the Foundation. If I withhold54 him, it is an act of war against Korell,and the Foundation would have no legal right to defend us.""That ?that's pretty far-fetched."The speaker blared and forestalled Mallow's answer: "Sir, officialcommunication received.""Submit immediately!"The gleaming cylinder55 arrived in its slot with a click. Mallow opened itand shook out the silver-impregnated sheet it held. He rubbed itappreciatively between thumb and finger and said, "Teleported direct fromthe capital. Commdor's own stationery56."He read it in a glance and laughed shortly, "So my idea was far-fetched,was it?"He tossed it to Twer, and added, "Half an hour after we hand back themissionary, we finally get a very polite invitation to the Commdor's augustpresence ?after seven days of previous waiting. I think we passed a test."
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1
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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prohibition
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| n.禁止；禁令，禁律 | |
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missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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decrepit
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| adj.衰老的，破旧的 | |
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itched
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| v.发痒( itch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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accredited
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| adj.可接受的；可信任的；公认的；质量合格的v.相信( accredit的过去式和过去分词 )；委托；委任；把…归结于 | |
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envoy
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| n.使节，使者，代表，公使 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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tuned
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| adj.调谐的，已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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periphery
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| n.(圆体的)外面；周围 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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tinter
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| 染色者，着色者 | |
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stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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lavatories
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| n.厕所( lavatory的名词复数 )；抽水马桶；公共厕所（或卫生间、洗手间、盥洗室）；浴室水池 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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babble
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| v.含糊不清地说，胡言乱语地说，儿语 | |
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bruise
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| n.青肿，挫伤；伤痕；vt.打青；挫伤 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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revered
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| v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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raven
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| n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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magnesium
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| n.镁 | |
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decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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incisive
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| adj.敏锐的，机敏的，锋利的，切入的 | |
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galaxy
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| n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物) | |
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raucous
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| adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的 | |
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horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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45
puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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46
screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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47
deafened
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| 使聋( deafen的过去式和过去分词 )； 使隔音 | |
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48
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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sardonically
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| adv.讽刺地，冷嘲地 | |
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50
democrat
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| n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员 | |
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51
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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52
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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53
chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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54
withhold
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| v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡 | |
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55
cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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56
stationery
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| n.文具；(配套的)信笺信封 | |
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